Fancy Tomato Pie

So after working many weeks straight and trying to keep up the pace with our wonderfully, adorable and very active 5- and 2-year-olds, my husband and I were able to steal away to a local Southern California winery resort a couple of months ago for a weekend without the kids! I was so excited that I started reading the menu of the restaurant at the resort online to gear up my taste buds for some decadent food (and wine, of course!). Reading through the appetizer list, I came across a dish that sounded like I had to have it that very minute! It was a very french-inspired recipe called an “Heirloom Tomato Tart.” Just another name for baked tomato pie with caramelized onions and gouda cheese with a flaky crust. Sounded really fancy to me but also really very simple.

So I started testing a recipe of my own, using some of the basic ingredients outlined in the description of the appetizer. I bought a regular-sized pie crust, some sweet roma tomatoes instead of the expensive heirloom ones, a brown onion and some gouda cheese. I also had some Grey Poupon in the fridge, which the appetizer description outlined, so that I could brush the bottom of the crust for some extra pizazz, and some basil and extra tomatoes to top it.

I also realize now that since summer is here, it is tomato season and this recipe makes great use of all the tomato-abundance! Our garden is in full bloom and we have wonderful heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes and beefsteak tomatoes. Any of these could be used with this recipe and would be delicious. In fact, this is a good way to use tomatoes in bulk if you have a lot of them and don’t want them to go to waste. The pie also stores nicely in the refrigerator for a couple of days afterward and even tastes great cold.

First, brush the mustard onto the bottom and sides of the frozen pie crust. Next, in a medium skillet, melt the butter on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Reduce the heat and cook the onion until it’s soft and a rich caramel color. Then, cool the onions a bit to room temperature and then add to the bottom of the pie crust. Next, layer the sliced tomatoes starting around the outside edges and working toward the middle. Top the whole pie with the shredded gouda cheese. Bake at the temperature recommended for the pie crust for about 25 minutes or until the edges are light brown on the crust and the middle is cooked and bubbling.

Take the pie out of the oven and set aside to cool. When ready to serve, top with the chopped tomato and basil and slice into pie-shaped wedges. I recommend the Paula Deen way to slice, which would be clipping the foil with a scissors on each side of the slice you want to make about three inches long and pulling the foil down from the pie slice before using a pie spatula to lift your slice. That way, the crust won’t break and toppings won’t fall off. Serve to everyone in the family as a treat, light lunch or on a Friday evening to “just the parents” with a nice glass of your favorite wine. This even makes a great party appetizer. Happy summer.